Like all other addictive drugs, nicotine activates the brain's reward system. Nicotine is quickly absorbed during smoking and travels fast to the pleasure-reward areas of the brain, producing a satisfying, positive feeling. To recreate this sensation, more nicotine needs to be smoked and before you know it you're addicted.

The list of health risks associated with smoking and tobacco use is a long one, and at the top of the list is premature death and reduced quality of life. Nearly half of all smokers who do not quit will die because of smoking. And they will die an average of 8 years earlier than someone like them who does not smoke.

Second-hand smoke is at least as dangerous as smoking cigarettes directly. Each year in Canada, second-hand smoke is the cause of death for more than 1,000 non-smokers. Find out about the effects of second-hand smoke and how to prevent exposure to it.